2018 January | AIVAnet

13

Jan

Asus Zenbook 13 (2018) hands-on review

Research Center:
Asus Zenbook 13 (2018)

Asus has more Zenbooks than anyone can keep track of, but it’s newest is a standout. The Zenbook 13, is an ultra-thin clamshell that just might be one of the lightest laptop you’ve ever held. It’s not to be confused with the Zenbook 13 from 2017, which was a heavier product, with options for a 4K display and discrete graphics card.

The new Zenbook 13 has neither of those. Asus is clearly selling this laptop based on the crazy-light design. However, there’s more to a laptop than just it’s dimensions — here’s how the rest of it stacks up.

The Asus you know, with something new

We haven’t always been the biggest cheerleaders of Asus’ laptop design. It’s often a little bland, and the company rarely attempts to change the formula. That’s fine when you’re talking about a budget laptop like the Zenbook UX330UA, but when you’re spending over a thousand dollars, you should expect more from the look of your laptop.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Asus must be aware of that perception, because the new Zenbook 13 is a total revamp. The Zenbook 13 doesn’t make any drastic shakeups, but the designers have done enough here and there to make it feel fresh. It has a black (or dark blue), matte finish, rather than the super-glossy texture of many other Zenbooks. It’s still brushed metal, but the non-reflective surface makes it more subtle this time around. Angles are sharpened, and the bezels have been slimmed down.

At 0.55 inches thick, it’s not quite as tiny as something like the HP Spectre 13, or even the Dell XPS 13. Asus used that extra space smartly to include full-size ports like HDMI and USB-A, which are becoming increasingly rare in laptops like these. The Zenbook 13 also includes a microSD card slot and USB-C port (3.1). It’s a great selection of connectivity that should please many — both people who use legacy USB accessories, and those who want future-proofing in their I/O.

Portability is off the charts

But again, the real thing to talk about here is the thinness and weight of the Zenbook 13. At 2.17 pounds, it’s one of the lightest laptops ever made, with only a handful of competitors that have ever gone lighter. It’s so light that when you pick it up, you immediately feel the difference between picking it up compared to a MacBook Pro, Dell XPS 13, or even the 2017 Zenbook 13. Some might even think it’s almost too light, but unlike many laptops this airy, it doesn’t feel flimsy.

One thing is for sure. You’ll hardly notice the extra weight in your bag.

The display didn’t wobble in the slightest, and there wasn’t a hint of flex in the keyboard, which is where you will spend most of your time. Impressively, we could even lift the display with one hand. We did notice a bit of bend and flex in the lid. It was most noticeable when the laptop was set open on a table, as well as on the corners of the lid. While that’s not great, the rest of the laptop does feel sturdy and well-built.

With battery claims of up to 15 hours, the Zenbook will follow you wherever you go. We’ll have to wait until we can put the Zenbook 13’s 50 watt-hour battery to the test, but one thing is for sure. You’ll hardly notice the extra weight in your bag.

Runs fast, looks good

Under the hood you’ll find the usual suspects. There’s 8th-gen Core i5 CPUs and 8GB of RAM as a base configuration, going up to a Core i7 and 16GB of RAM from there. We haven’t been able to benchmark this laptop’s processing power yet, but we suspect that it will perform honorably, like similar machines with those same components. The Zenbook 13 also starts with 256GB of SSD storage and comes with an attractive, FHD display. There’s no option for 4K or touchscreen here — you’ll have to go back to the 2017 Zenbook 13 for that.

Asus Zenbook 13 (2018) Compared To

Asus Zenbook Pro UX550VE

Asus Zenbook UX330UA-AH54

HP ZBook Studio G4

Microsoft Surface Book with…

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2017)

Acer Aspire VX 5-591G 5652

Dell Latitude E5470

Dell XPS 15 9560

Dell Inspiron 15 7000 (2017)

Lenovo Yoga 910

Acer Swift 7 SF713-51-M90J

Asus Zenbook 3 UX390UA

Lenovo Ideapad 710S

LG Gram 15 Z960

Gateway 200XL

The touchpad and keyboard are similar to those inputs we’ve seen on other newer Zenbooks, featuring 1.4mm of travel and nice backlighting. The Windows Precision touchpad is good enough, but its feel is nothing to write home about. We did, however, notice that it did a better job with palm rejection than the trackpad did on the UX330UA.

Asus’ Zenbook 13 is a laptop that a lot of people will like, and some people will love. It starts at $999 for the Core i5 version with 8GB of RAM, and can be configured upward from there. For reference, you’ll pay exactly that for a similar configuration on the new Dell XPS 13. Asus couldn’t give us a firm date, but you should expect to be able to pick this one up within the next few months.

13

Jan

Mofrel is a giant printer that can spit out actual textures with 2.5D printing

Photoshop is getting better 3D tools and soon there could be a printer that turns Photoshop textures into actual textured pages. During the Consumer Electronics Show, Casio unveiled the Mofrel, a 2.5D printer that uses heat from near-infrared light to spit out pages that both look and feel like leather, wood, stitched fabric — or whatever other texture you can dream up.

Mofrel uses light sculpting and special paper to re-create textures on paper. The paper is covered in a special micro-powder that is designed to expand when heated. The printer applies the “ink” and then applies near-infrared light, which generates the heat to activate the “ink” and generate the right bumps in the right places.

The texture is applied in the first run through the printer — then a microfilm is peeled off and a second run applies actual ink to give the textured surface color. The Mofrel can also create double-sided prints for texture on each side.

Textures are designed in Photoshop using a Mofrel Utility plug-in. The plug-in helps designers translate those textured designs into bump data for the printer and shows a preview of the resulting print.

So why print textures? Casio is designing the 2.5D printer largely to use in prototyping and development. The printed textures are both more affordable and faster to use in prototyping a product. While you would probably still want real leather seats in that luxury car, for example, manufacturers could design their prototype with 2.5D printed leather. Casio also says the Mofrel could be used for packaging, apparel, and even construction materials. The company also expects potential uses in education, allowing for tactile learning material as well as potential for designing aids for visually impaired students.

Using heat and specialized paper isn’t a new idea — Zink or ink-free paper uses a similar concept in order to make printers small enough to fit in digital cameras — but Mofrel uses the idea to create textures rather than eliminating the ink cartridges. Mofrel also isn’t the first printer that sits in between a traditional printer and 3D printing. Canon previewed another type of 2.5D printer in 2015, but one that used layers of resin to create the final texture, rather than heat and specialized paper.

13

Jan

Mofrel is a giant printer that can spit out actual textures with 2.5D printing

Photoshop is getting better 3D tools and soon there could be a printer that turns Photoshop textures into actual textured pages. During the Consumer Electronics Show, Casio unveiled the Mofrel, a 2.5D printer that uses heat from near-infrared light to spit out pages that both look and feel like leather, wood, stitched fabric — or whatever other texture you can dream up.

Mofrel uses light sculpting and special paper to re-create textures on paper. The paper is covered in a special micro-powder that is designed to expand when heated. The printer applies the “ink” and then applies near-infrared light, which generates the heat to activate the “ink” and generate the right bumps in the right places.

The texture is applied in the first run through the printer — then a microfilm is peeled off and a second run applies actual ink to give the textured surface color. The Mofrel can also create double-sided prints for texture on each side.

Textures are designed in Photoshop using a Mofrel Utility plug-in. The plug-in helps designers translate those textured designs into bump data for the printer and shows a preview of the resulting print.

So why print textures? Casio is designing the 2.5D printer largely to use in prototyping and development. The printed textures are both more affordable and faster to use in prototyping a product. While you would probably still want real leather seats in that luxury car, for example, manufacturers could design their prototype with 2.5D printed leather. Casio also says the Mofrel could be used for packaging, apparel, and even construction materials. The company also expects potential uses in education, allowing for tactile learning material as well as potential for designing aids for visually impaired students.

Using heat and specialized paper isn’t a new idea — Zink or ink-free paper uses a similar concept in order to make printers small enough to fit in digital cameras — but Mofrel uses the idea to create textures rather than eliminating the ink cartridges. Mofrel also isn’t the first printer that sits in between a traditional printer and 3D printing. Canon previewed another type of 2.5D printer in 2015, but one that used layers of resin to create the final texture, rather than heat and specialized paper.

13

Jan

This amazing 3D-printed radio works, despite having no battery or outlet plug

Did you know you can build your very own working 3D-printed radio — without any soldering, electronics experience, electric cord, or even batteries? That’s exactly what talented Houston, Texas-based 3D-printing and electronics enthusiast Sage Hansen has created. And he’s willing to show you how to do it, too.

Called a crystal radio receiver, or sometimes a “cat’s whisker receiver,” this is an incredibly simple type of radio receiver that was popular in the earliest days of radio. The only power it requires to work is the received radio signal, which is used to produce sound. It is named after its most important component, the crystal detector or diode.

“AM radio was one of the first ways of transmitting audio to a very broad audience in the early 1900s, but it is still very popular today,” Hansen told Digital Trends. “It starts with the radio station converting their audio sound waves into electromagnetic waves, which can travel great distances. Each radio station uses a specific frequency that is constant, but the sound waves are mixed so they amplify and modulate the base radio wave. What makes the crystal radio so exciting is how simple the circuit is, and how it can be made out of normal household items. What I wanted to do was use my 3D modeling software to design a simple form that presents the components in such a straightforward way that it’s easy for the viewer to follow the circuit and understand how this is working. The radio waves received by the antenna pass through the coil of wire, which is acting as an inductor that determines the frequency. Then the diode will convert the receiving alternating current into direct current, which will vibrate the piezo speaker creating sound waves.”

Like a true gent, Hansen isn’t keeping the design to himself. “I always had the idea that this project was for the public,” he said. “I have uploaded the 3D files for people to download, as well as step-by-step instructions. I also recorded and edited an instructional video on YouTube with 3D animations to help people assemble, step by step. I hope that people will find this entertaining, educational — and have fun using this radio.”

Well, that weekend busywork is taken of, then!

Editors’ Recommendations

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The best headphones you can buy under $100
HDMI ARC and eARC: What they are, how they work, and why you should care
Here’s how to convert an MP4 to an MP3 file with online and offline tools
New 3D-printing technique uses UV light to print working electronic circuits

13

Jan

Here is everything we know about the HTC U11 Eyes

Last year, HTC brought us three smartphones — the HTC U11 and U11 Plus, along with the HTC U11 Life. While the company has yet to confirm details, rumors hint at a new addition to the lineup known as the HTC U11 Eyes. A recent tweet by Venture Beat’s Evan Blass includes a fair amount of details concerning what to expect from the midrange smartphone.

Here’s everything we know about the HTC U11 Eyes.

Design

Evan Blass

The HTC U11 Eyes reportedly features a 6-inch screen with 1,080 x 2,160 Super LCD3 display. With photos by way of Blass, it comes in three different color variants — black, silver, and red. To the far right of the device are two front-facing cameras that resemble a pair of “eyes” — which is most likely why the device has its name. On the back, you’ll find a single camera with dual-LED and dual-tone flash. Right below it is a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and on the bottom is a USB-type C port for fast charging.

HTC released a device back in 2014 under the “Eye” brand as well, known as the Desire Eye. While it’s clearly far more dated, it’s easy to see a resemblance between the two. This time around, the U11 Eyes looks to be made out of metal and glass with rounded corners and thin bezels. It will also include Edge Sense — featured on its predecessors as well — which allows you to squeeze the bottom edges of the device to perform different shortcuts.

Specs

Under the hood, the HTC U11 could include a Snapdragon 652 octa-core processor along with a 3,930mAh battery. In terms of storage, there will be 4GB of RAM and expandable storage of up to 64GB via a MicroSD card. It also has an IP67 certification when it comes to water and dust resistance. Some users may be disappointed to know that it will run Android Nougat instead of Oreo.

Price and availability

The U11 Eyes is expected to launch on January 15 and will reportedly be priced at $510. That date is also the same one listed on the official invitation for HTC’s upcoming press event in China — which included the keyword “Eye” — first spotted by PlayfulDroid.

Editors’ Recommendations

Everything you need to know about the HTC U11 Life and HTC U11 Plus
HTC U11 Life vs. HTC U11: How different is HTC’s slimmed-down budget U11?
HTC U11 Life review
Squeeze the most out of your phone with these handy HTC U11 Life tips and tricks
HTC U11 Plus vs. HTC U11: Is bigger always better?

13

Jan

Merge Blaster Hands-on Review

Research Center:
Merge Blaster

Augmented reality games sound really cool, but often they’re a disappointment when you try them out. Whether it’s having to wear a headset to play, or the game itself not performing very well, you give up after having only a few goes at it.

The Merge Blaster is an accessory for your smartphone

That’s not the case with the Merge Blaster. We had only a few tries and wanted more. Lots more. It’s one of the most fun AR game experiences we’ve had, and a great demonstration of the new six degrees of freedom (6DoF) technology that’s changing mobile AR and VR experiences. In our Merge Blaster hands-on review, we explain why we liked it so much.

The Merge Blaster is an accessory for your smartphone. It employs positional tracking technology to understand where it is, making use of Apple’s ARKit, Google’s ARCore, and other similar platforms. It’s shaped like a futuristic weapon, and equipped with four different buttons and triggers. These allow you to shoot your weapons, jump, reload, and perform other in-game functions. The gun is light, comfortable to hold, and looks really cool.

On the top is a mounting point for your smartphone. This is the clever part of the Merge Blaster: It doesn’t need you to wear a headset, removing a huge barrier to enjoying free-roaming AR games. Instead, the phone acts as your window into the virtual world.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

We played a sci-fi first-person shooter, where you zap robots trying to take you down. The 6DoF tech understands what you’re doing and how you move. You don’t just look left or right, you move left or right. To get closer to the robots, you actually have to move toward them. Everything is tracked on the phone, and the game world syncs to your movement.

It’s surprisingly immersive, but above all, it’s really fun. We were on the CES 2018 show floor demoing the Merge Blaster, and weaving in and out of the crowd flow was slightly more awkward than playing in an open area, but definitely no less enjoyable.

Merge Blaster Compared To

TimeFlip Magnet

Star Wars: Jedi Challenges

Insta360 One

Samsung DeX Station

Oaxis InkCase i7 Plus

Ampy Move

Neo Smartpen N2

Motrr Galileo

Typo keyboard case

Moga Mobile Gaming Controller

Hasbro My3D

Iomega SuperHero

BlackBerry Presenter

Callpod Chargepod

Griffin Elan Holster

The game’s secret is its accuracy. Whether it’s ducking behind cover or sharpshooting an enemy robot, it was exactly on point and not frustrating at all. Add the satisfaction of holding the Blaster itself, and you’ve got a gaming experience you’ll want to repeat.

Merge is still working on the Blaster. The version in our pictures is a prototype, and although the design may not change, the paint and finish will be improved. Merge also has an SDK for developers to build software for the Blaster, and we’re hoping for more games at release. The shooter is a good start, though.

We also tried the Lenovo Mirage Solo mobile VR headset at CES 2018, which uses 6DoF technology, and found the Merge Blaster’s software experience superior because it eliminated the dizziness felt during the ski game on Lenovo’s headset.

There’s no final price for the Merge Blaster, but the company’s VR headset is very reasonably priced, so we’re hoping the Blaster will be similar. The release date will be sometime during summer 2018. We can’t wait for this one.

13

Jan

ZTE’s new foldable smartphone starts a revolution by offering users two screens

We’ve seen a lot of really cool new trends in the mobile industry recently, including a move away from bezels, as well as a greater widespread interest in augmented reality (AR) and 3D-sensing cameras. But perhaps the most daring new product at CES 2018 was ZTE’s Axon M smartphone.

Released late last year in an exclusive deal with AT&T, the Axon M is revolutionizing the smartphone market by giving consumers not one, but two screens on their phone. The screens can be used in a variety of ways, including a tent mode that allows viewers to watch the same content on different facing screens.

Other iterations include a tablet mode, which utilizes the two screens to display one app, or a mode that allows you to have two applications open at once. You can also set the phone on end to record videos without the need for a tripod.

ZTE’s foldable smartphone is the perfect device for multitaskers, or people who just like the idea of having a bigger portable screen. But Jeff Yee, vice president of product marketing and strategy at ZTE, says there are no plans to get rid of their existing phones. ZTE will be working on a new line of foldable Axon phones in conjunction with its more “traditional” models. ZTE hopes to be able to improve on the foldable phone model in the future.

“The intention is to eventually get to a larger synced screen — one screen — when a consumer wants it,” Yee said. “At the moment, it’s a two-screen display, which is what we have available in terms of screen technology. In the future, we see one screen that can bend.”

The Axon M is made with Gorilla Glass, and ZTE has created a specialized case to help protect both of its screens. It only has one camera, but you can easily flip the phone to switch between portrait and selfie mode.

Yee also talked about other trends in mobile, including faster speeds, lower latency, and more information-storing capabilities of the cloud.

Interested in more CES 2018 coverage? Make sure to visit our coverage page for videos, reviews, and more.

Editors’ Recommendations

ZTE Axon M vs ZTE Axon 7: Can ZTE’s foldable phone beat its mid-range classic?
Huawei may be releasing a foldable smartphone next year
ZTE Axon M review
The best ZTE Blade Z Max cases to keep it safe from bumps and scratches
EKG watchband helps Apple Watch owners spot irregular heartbeat problems